The boss man gathered us up for a Teddy’s breakfast this past Saturday. The anticipated staff meeting lasted for about 5 seconds with only one request, “it’s gonna be real busy. make sure to put everything away.” Then Bill dropped a huge bomb on us. He’s taking everyone – all of the staff and their partners – to Interbike in September. I guess we’re doing something right. Once more for good measure: Thank You Recession!

Las Vegas has never been on my must see list but I’m unquestionably giddy about going for Interbike. It looks like we’ll be walking the strip at least twice this year between the Coachella road trip and work adventures. I love my job.

My Interbike Must-See/Wish list:

1. Dashing Tweeds – It is highly unlikely that they will bother hopping the pond but a girl can wish.

Cassie said something to the effect of, “When I told people I was going to Edmonton no one knew what I was talking about. I almost don’t want anyone to find out because that would ruin it. I could live here.”

There you have it. Edmonton is the London cure.

Things have been happening. In no particular order:

1. It has been what some would consider oppressively hot for the last few days. If you say so people. I’m still wearing two layers under flannel and breaking in two new pairs of skinny jeans (from goodwill!). The heat hasn’t really hit me.

My office mate is a (lovely) middle aged lady with a heart condition. She had to leave before lunch because the heat had totally drained her. Now we have a new over sized air conditioning unit in the office. I hate it. Everything I listen to needs more volume thus costing me valuable dicking around discretion points plus it all sounds like lo-fi while accompanied by this new humidity sucking hum. That’s alright.

If you have a desk job and know of a good moisturizing nasal spray, please recommend it to me.

2. BRAIDS (fma the Neighbourhood Council) played at a ‘secret’ house venue called Castle Awesome two weekends ago. Ace. They easily defended their title as my favourite unheard of Canadian band, not that any one was challenging it. Maybe Colourbook if they tried. BRAIDS didn’t play a single track from their first release. I wasn’t disappointed.

A CJSR host, probably Aaron Levin, said there were 150 kids at that show. Many of them were crammed under a low ceiling in a what was effectively a sauna yet they were remarkably reverent of BRAIDS performance.

People keep saying, “the singer is obviously influenced by Bjork.” I was defensive. Who isn’t? Just because a girl uses her natural voice, pushing it to its ragged edges rather than trying maintain some level of pretty composure doesn’t mean she’s imitating Bjork. I am a huge Bjork fan but I think Raphaela is legitimately doing her own thing.

Ok, it’s a fair comparison but it just feels too obvious to bother mentioning- like all dude harmonies default to a Beach Boys influence. Right Doug? If I truly enjoy something I become oblivious to its predecessors. When Shamira pointed out the glaring similarity between Rural Alberta Advantage and Neutral Milk Hotel I was both incredulous and dismissive.

3. We are playing more nerd games, more frequently. Shamira was shuffling a deck and actually said, “Hey, is there an expansion pack in this? It feels thicker”

4. Still decompressing from the awful realization of #3

5. Keep forgetting to post pictures from the Steel Wheels show. I will do it soon.

6. The study is finally in use. Shamira got a 24″ iMac last week and an interesting glass desk to suspend the iMac’s beauty. I’m trying my best not to leer at it.

7. Caylie is heading off to the far reaches of the continent again. Safe travels cdg.

8. bikes bikes bikes

9. My boss asked me to leave the office for a few minutes yesterday so he could talk with Carolyne. That meant someone(s) was about to be fired. Taking advantage of their misfortune and our waning sales, I took a few bikes for a spin upstairs.

The Bowery didn’t really impress me. The SixTwo felt like a guilty pleasure. The Ryde was god-awful – no dirt/street riding in my near future. The Tosca was the only one that really piqued my interest. It felt perfect. Maybe I will reward myself with a new cyclo-cross bike in a couple of years when I can really appreciate it.

10. For now I will stick to not messing up my $10 headset. Note: don’t throw away parts of your steering mechanism just because your friend says it will be more smooth. Just don’t.

Far be it from me to complain about having a cushy desk job in a bike shop where I get to smell tires and surf the internet all day BUT (maybe I should end this post right here)…

This job is legit but I would much rather be riding my new folder outside, taking a nap in a park, or watching BSG.

I have nothing to complain of.

* * *

Doug sent me a working schedule for our tour in October. Yeah! I’m going on tour with Doug Hoyer and Michael Rault for a whole month. So far the plan is to go east as far as Halifax for the Pop Explosion festival then make our way back to Edmonton. I hope and astral project that we will be able to swing a leg out to the west coast. There is nothing more encouraging than seeing flowers in November but I doubt we will see them.

Stoked!

Shamira plans to fly out to us in Montreal or maybe for the festival, thereby avoiding the hellish Northern Ontario long haul. Seeing her should alleviate some of my inevitable lovesickness.

1. Ethel has a skin condition
2. She is still cuter than Fred
3. Megan Heather returned from Victoria with designs to live in our apartment but I freaked out at the thought of a third person (or fifth if you count Fred & Ethel, FRETHEL) cohabiting so we’re moving
4. Our new house is only a few blocks away but it is a beautiful bastion of the days when Albertans valued character above montrous displays of oil money (and oil money spin offs)
5. why do we live here?
6. Cherry Whiskey & Movie Studio Salt Saturated Free Popcorn sponsored Wii Mario Kart tournaments at Jamie’s new apartment are swell
7. Shamira and I bought two Norco Origami folding bikes from my place of employment
8. jealous?
9. I don’t want streamers on my handlebars but if you do I won’t judge you

my bicycle isn’t finished but it is ride able, in a gingerly manner, but ride able none the less. thanks to a recession labour lay off, shamira’s keen eye for hiring signs, outrageous insurance premiums, my new fucking sweet pal leila, keith the neil peart worshipper at EBC, and the perks of being in the employ of a bicycle shop i am nearly ready to sell my car, slap on some stylish (see: necessary) parts, and make the shift from fossil fuel consumer to bicycle commuter.

leila and i are building up a 1976 Apollo frame (model name as yet unknown) into what i hope will be my new vehicle of necessity, choice, and pride. i won’t lie. fixed gear gallery has been my inspiration.

i won’t bore you, anonymous and non-existent reader, with the technical details of my plan for restoration and neighborhood “sweet ride” domination but trust me it will be sweet… when i can get it to stop falling apart, screeching and rattling.